


Canary

by C4ff3in3



Series: ROYGBIV [2]
Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: Airbending & Airbenders, Canary - Freeform, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Firebending & Firebenders, Gen, Hope, Hurt/Comfort, Mentions of Azula, Mentions of Ozai - Freeform, Morning Meditation, mentions of Iroh
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-24
Updated: 2020-07-24
Packaged: 2021-03-04 23:13:37
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,268
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25494430
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/C4ff3in3/pseuds/C4ff3in3
Summary: Aang had been acting strange since their campfire dinner. It had taken Zuko a while to notice as he doubled down on his efforts to improve his indigo flames, but he couldn’t help but wonder what was wrong with Aang.OrZuko notices somethings wrong with Aang and decides to fix it.
Relationships: Aang & Zuko (Avatar)
Series: ROYGBIV [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1846855
Comments: 6
Kudos: 299





	Canary

**Author's Note:**

> Feel free to leave comments and feedback. Thanks.

Aang had been acting strange since their campfire dinner. It had taken Zuko a while to notice as he doubled down on his efforts to improve his indigo flames, but he couldn’t help but wonder how no one else saw the change in Aang. Aang was always filled with so much energy. He’d air scooter across the ceiling and dive over cliffs just to practice bending for hours on end. He talked constantly and played pranks with Toph every day. But suddenly he seemed depressed. His feet remained firmly on the ground and he spaced out several times a day. Zuko had watched Aang during their morning meditation and after watching him try to hold back tears he decided enough was enough.

“Aang.” He called. Aang immediately tried to look cheerful and wipe his eyes.

“Yes, Sifu Hotman!” Aang answered. But Zuko could tell it was an act. He looked towards the young Airbender and decided to figure out the problem first.

“What’s wrong?” he asked. Aang looked like he was deciding whether he should tell Zuko the truth or not when he finally let out a breath and looked away from him.

“Yanchen’s festival is today and I’m all alone.” A tear rolled down Aang’s face and Zuko was hit with the realization that Aang was a 12-year old whose family was massacred at the hands of his ancestors. And with that thought, he vowed to do everything he could to help Aang, and not just the Avatar destined to defeat his father.

“I’m sorry you’re hurting, but you’re not alone.” And with that Aang looked up at Zuko to find only determination in his eyes. “You have me.”

“But I’m the only Airbender left. If Ozai kills me, I’ll be the reason my entire nation is gone. First I ran away and all the air nomads were killed, and now there will never be an air bender again because I can’t learn fire fast enough.” At this point, Aang had a steady flow of tears running down his face as he hiccuped through his explanation. Zuko didn’t know how to make Aang feel better. Everything he said was technically true, but he knows Uncle would give better advice than ‘you’re right, just don’t die and you’ll be fine.’

“Have I ever told you about Ty Lee?” Zuko finally came up with. And when he saw the curious expression on Aang’s face he knew he hadn’t. “Ty Lee is one of Azula’s best friends, not that Azula would call her that.”

“The chi-blocker?” Aang asked.

“Yea, that’s her. I don’t know if you know this, but Ty Lee has six sisters and they’re all talented acrobatics, though only Ty Lee chose an occupation with it. Whenever I saw her sisters, they spent more time on their hands than their feet and were always flipping through the air. They all have piercing grey eyes and bubbly personalities. Well except for Ty Woo who's more like Mai than anyone.” He said and chuckled at the thought of Ty Woo and Mai insulting people together. At this point, Aang’s tears had dried and he felt better after his outburst, but Zuko could tell he was confused why they were talking about Ty Lee.  
“What does Ty Lee have to do with me killing off the air nomads?” Aang asked.

“First of all, you didn’t kill the air nomads. When you left, you didn’t know what the Fire nation was planning and if you did I’m sure you would have done anything you could to help. And we’re talking about Ty Lee because it’s rumored that her mother was an air nomad who escaped.” And at that Aang looked up, shock displayed over his face.

“The only reason Ozai didn’t have her killed when the rumor started to spread, was because she told him she was a non-bender, and everyone knows that all air nomads were benders. But nobody knows whether she was lying about being a bender or not. All the Ty sisters took after their mother and considering she had a Fire bender for a husband that’s quite the feat. They all had grey eyes whereas the norm in the Fire nation was brown or gold.” Zuko looks towards Aang who was hanging on to his every word.

“Your eyes now that I think about it,” Zuko says as he stares into the air benders’ eyes. “They were all extremely comfortable being in the air and Ty lee’s fighting style is very similar to your ‘flow like the wind’ evasion tactics. It’s possible that some nomads escaped. In a head-on confrontation, I can see how Fire benders would have the upper hand, but I’m sure some would be able to escape. You can’t be the last one.” Zuko refutes while trying to show Aang how much he believes there were still airbenders.

Aang looked like he was going to cry again at the thought of other Air nomads being alive.

“You can’t be sure that more nomads are alive. You can’t guarantee that airbenders will walk the earth again.” Aang says not daring to hope. Zuko looks down at his lap wondering what he can do to convince Aang that he’s not alone.

“Do you remember the blue flames I made at dinner?” Zuko asks. Aang looks confused at the change in topic again but he answers yes anyway.

“We know that having different motivations for creating fire can affect the strength. My flames were strictly red when I used my anger and frustration. But when I created the blue, I was thinking about protecting my nation from Azula and Ozai’s cruelty. Different emotions mean different colors and blue means protection to me. I’ve gotten a few more colors, but one emotion I have trouble sustaining is hope.” Zuko said while thinking about how to phrase his next sentence.

“Uncle once told me that during dark times, hope is something you need to give yourself. And since you can’t seem to find any, I’ll hope for you.” And with that Zuko lifted his palm to reveal a steady yellow flame. Unlike his blue fire that seemed to constantly move, feeling for threats, the yellow stayed stationary and steadfast. Aang and Zuko were staring into each other’s eyes as the canary yellow glowed between them.

Aang noticed that while Zuko’s indigo flames felt hot and combative, the canary yellow felt warm like the sun on a nice day. Aang could almost see himself floating in the water while the sun’s rays lay over him like a blanket. 

Aang finally seemed to believe Zuko, and when Zuko saw acceptance in his eyes he stood up and offered him a hand.

“c’mon,” Zuko said while tugging on his arm.

“Where are we going?” Aang asked.

“We’re going to find some vegetables to roast, find Yangchen’s statue, and celebrate.” He answered. Aang looked shocked that Zuko knew how Airbenders celebrated Yangchen’s festival but followed him away from their training grounds.

“How do you know how we celebrate,” Aang asked.

“I learned everything I could about past Avatars and Airbenders when I was looking for you.” Aang guessed that made sense, Zuko always had an uncanny ability to understand Aang even when Katara and Sokka didn’t.

And as Zuko and Aang were picking vegetables to eat after their ceremony Zuko looked towards Aang once more.

“You’ll never be alone again,” Zuko started. “And next year we’ll come back to celebrate and maybe bring some fruit pies.” Aang was so touched that he hugged Zuko without thinking and said a choked “Thank you.” in reply.


End file.
